Srinagar, Aug 13: Jammu and Kashmir has maintained a high score on basic amenities in government schools, but the latest data highlights a significant gap in digital and science infrastructure.
According to the details accessed by Rising Kashmir, 99.6 per cent of schools across the Union Territory have drinking water and 95.9 per cent have toilet facilities. However, the data has thrown a surprise by revealing that only 14.8 per cent of government schools have functional smart classrooms.
The details come at a time when the modern and digital era has taken over, throwing challenges to the youngsters to compete with students on different platforms.
The data shows that smart classroom coverage has improved from 10.6 per cent in 2023-24 to 12.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 14.8 per cent in 2025-26.
According to the latest data on the percentage of government schools having basic facilities, 95.9 per cent of schools in J&K had toilets in 2025-26, compared to 96.3 per cent in 2023-24 and 96.1 per cent in 2024-25.
The availability of drinking water remained particularly high, with 99.6 per cent of government schools having drinking water facilities in 2025-26. The figure stood at 99.3 per cent in 2023-24 and increased to 99.6 per cent in 2024-25.
Electricity coverage, however, remained relatively lower. 91.3 per cent of government schools had electricity in 2025-26, marginally down from 91.4 per cent in 2024-25 and 91.2 per cent in 2023-24.
Meanwhile, the proportion of schools with secondary sections having an integrated science laboratory stood at 62.4 per cent in 2025-26, compared to 62.8 per cent in 2024-25 and 63 per cent in 2023-24.
The figures indicate that while J&K has achieved near-universal coverage of basic amenities such as drinking water and substantial coverage of electricity, the expansion of smart classrooms remains an area requiring greater attention.
The data also points to a slight decline in toilet, electricity and integrated science laboratory coverage in 2025-26, highlighting the need to focus not only on new infrastructure but also on maintenance and functionality of existing facilities.
